WeatherWatch: What is it about nuclear energy that we fear so much?

A few weeks ago I was watching the Colbert Report, a very well made satirical news show poking fun out of conservative Fox News host Bill O'reilly. Stephen Colbert (who pronounces his name col-bear - and the "t" in Report is silent too) pulls apart the days news and acts as though he's a hardcore conservative. Its extremely funny and, with this being a spin off from the Daily Show with Jon Stewart, the two run side by side (here in NZ on Comedy Central) and make for an hours fantastic viewing.

But despite the humour the show ends with an interview in which Colbert "grills" the guest. The guest is usually an author pushing their book and the content is legit.

A few weeks ago he interviewed a man - and I'm sorry I cannot recall his name - but he was talking about nuclear energy. The interview was fascinating and got me thinking, and questioning, what is it about nuclear energy that we fear so much.

I fear it. I have this absolute fear of nuclear energy. Whenever I've been overseas and driven near a nuclear reactor I've been worried. But I can't really explain why. I guess I just think of Chernoybl. I mean, I'm pretty sure many of us put those two together.

I did some research to find out just how many serious nuclear accidents there have been...and...well... there aren't many to be honest.

In 1999 the worst nuclear accident in the history of Japan happened in a uranium reprocessing facility in Tokaimura, northeast of Tokyo. The incident took place while workers were mixing liquid uranium.

Of course in 1986 there was Chernobyl. This catastrophic disaster meant that over a third of a million people had to be resettled due to the large area polluted by the plume. The World Health Organisation attributed "fewer than 50" direct deaths and estimated that there may be up to 4,000 additional cancer deaths over time among the approximately 600,000 most highly exposed people. This is the world's worst ever nuclear disaster.

In 1979 the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in the US had a partial meltdown. No deaths. No injuries

Going further back in time and the biggest nuclear contamination before Three Mile Island was near Cumberland in England. A significant amount of radiation was release when the graphite core caught fire. This was in 1957.

All other nuclear leaks or explosions have been as a result of testing a-bombs or war aircrafts carrying nuclear bombs and crashing. See Time's "The Worst Nuclear Disasters in History"(http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1887705_1862259,00.html)

Obviously nuclear energy is dangerous stuff... one thing goes wrong and your nation is scarred for life. In fact, if we had a nuclear explosion here in New Zealand our economy would be destroyed. We're such a small country and we rely heavily on the environment for exports.

But...IS nuclear energy really something to be worried about in this day and age?

The interview on the Colbert Report was from a former "greeny" who protested in the 60s and 70s against nuclear energy...but he now believes he was wrong and that as our atmosphere continues to be polluted and the globe continues to warm up nuclear energy is the only safe, practical, way to save the planet.

He said nuclear waste, which is a very tiny amount, could be safely buried several miles underground and covered in concrete underneath the reactors themselves.

In my view New Zealand has an abundance of natural resources and we would never need a nuclear power plant. But are our fears really justified? How many people die around the world due to the pollution caused by coal and smoke? Surely more have died as a result of atmospheric pollution than nuclear radiation?

Nuclear Energy has proved itself over the past two decades that, when managed properly, is perfectly safe with almost no pollution and very little waste.

Are our fears irrational? We are brought up to believe nuclear energy is dangerous and bad. But is this just what we're brought up with... in the same way that some are brought up to fear certain stereotypes across our cultures.